During the Snowstorm by Mo Bao Fei Bao

Chapter 3.1 The Scenery After the Snowstorm

One week passed, and with Wu Wei's assistance, Yin Guo finally secured a suitable and convenient place to stay. A short-term lease was signed with the landlord for a two-room apartment, valid until the end of April. The lease agreement specified that if Meng Xiaotian's college admission went smoothly, they would renew the lease for a full year. The clarity and simplicity of the contract brought a sense of relief and excitement to Yin Guo.

On the day of the move, Yin Guo felt grateful for Wu Wei's help and wanted to express her appreciation. So, she took him out to the local noodle restaurant for a meal. The aroma of spices and sauces wafted through the air, tempting their appetites.

Just as they were about to begin their meal, a plate of succulent mustard squid was placed in front of Yin Guo. The restaurant owner beamed at her, speaking in broken English, "For you... miss. Enjoy!"

Yin Guo's eyes widened in surprise. The dish looked incredibly delicious, with the mustard sauce glistening in the light and the squid rings perfectly fried. "I bet this tastes good," she thought, eagerly picking up her chopsticks.

Yin Guo couldn't help but smile as she received the plate of mustard squid from the boss. "Thank you so much," she said, feeling flattered.

The boss just grinned and went to attend to other customers, leaving Yin Guo and Meng Xiaotian to enjoy their meal.

"Sis, you really have good connections," Meng Xiaotian said, looking envious.

Yin Guo turned to Wu Wei, who was now sipping his soup. "Are you guys regulars here?" she asked.

Wu Wei shook his head, "Lin Yi Yang is friends with the owner. He stayed here one night after sending you because he couldn't go home."

Meng Xiaotian's eyes widened in surprise. "Really?" He said, clearly surprised by this information.

Wu Wei chuckled, a hint of mystery in his voice. "At first, I was just as confused as you. I couldn't understand why Lin Yi Yang would suddenly have to leave like that. He was saying something about an emergency. But then the supposed emergency wasn't addressed, so he just returned home." He shook his head, still smiling as if he knew something that others didn't.

That day, Wu Wei was having terrible luck. His phone was frozen and wouldn't turn on, making it difficult for him to get around in a city where the subway system was unreliable. The last thing he wanted was to navigate a dozen disrupted subway lines to get home. So, instead of going home, he decided to drink the night away at a bar.

When he stumbled back to the noodle shop in the early morning light, he saw Lin Yi Yang sound asleep at the noodle shop. Fortunately, Lin Yi Yang has friends everywhere and can survive regardless of his circumstances.

But then, something dawned on Wu Wei. He realized there was definitely something fishy going on that night.

"Man, we really owe Brother Yang one," the younger cousin sighed, taking the blame on himself. "When's he coming back? I want to treat him to a big feast as an apology."

"Next time?" Wu Wei replied with a chuckle, "It's hard to say. He's busy studying and earning money, so he doesn't have a lot of free time. Every time he visits, it's just a quick stop, and he's only here for a day or two before leaving again.

Don't worry about it," Wu Wei added with a grin, "When he comes back, he'll crash at my place, and you won't be bothered."

Yin Guo nodded with a relieved look on her face.

Yin Guo couldn't shake the thought of Lin Yi Yang out of her mind. She had heard that he lived in the same neighborhood, and the possibility of bumping into him was high. The thought made her both excited and anxious.